Glossary - Minded Boggle

Table of Contents

Navigating the sea of mental health terminology can be a little daunting, right?

All those terms and acronyms, they can seem like a foreign language. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back! We’ve put together a handy glossary to help you decipher the lingo. So next time you come across a puzzling term or acronym, you’ll be in the know. Remember, knowledge is power, and we’re here to empower you on your mental health journey!

Glossary of Terms

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Abreaction

The process of releasing and expressing strong (repressed) emotions related to traumatic memories, often leading to relief or healing.

Addiction

A condition where a person becomes unable to stop using a substance or engaging in a behaviour, despite knowing it’s harmful. It often involves a strong craving and loss of control, making it difficult to quit or cut back.

Affect

A psychological term referring to the experience of feeling or emotion, often observable in facial expressions or body language.

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder characterised by intense fear or avoidance of places or situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable, often leading to a reluctance to leave home.

Alexithymia

Difficulty in identifying and expressing one’s emotions, often leading to challenges in interpersonal relationships.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others, often manifested through acts of kindness or generosity without expectation of personal gain.

Anhedonia

The inability to experience pleasure or enjoyment in activities that were once found enjoyable, often associated with depression.

Anxiety

A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome, often accompanied by physical symptoms.

Autonomy

The ability to make one’s own decisions and govern oneself, often linked to a sense of independence and self-determination.

Avolition

A lack of motivation or inability to initiate and persist in purposeful activities, often associated with mental health disorders.

Behaviour Modification

A therapeutic approach that uses reinforcement and punishment to change maladaptive behaviours.

Behaviourism

A psychological approach that focuses on observable behaviours rather than internal mental processes, emphasising the role of environmental factors in shaping behaviour.

Biopsychosocial Model

A holistic approach to understanding health and illness that considers biological, psychological, and social factors.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

A mental health condition characterised by an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in physical appearance, often leading to distress and impairment.

Boundaries

Psychological barriers that help protect individuals from being manipulated or taken advantage of.

Burnout

A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, often arising from work or caregiving responsibilities.

Catharsis

The process of releasing pent-up emotions, often leading to a sense of relief or emotional purification.

Chemical Imbalance

A theory that suggests mental disorders or illnesses, such as depression or anxiety, are caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters or chemicals in the brain.

Circadian Rhythm

The natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and other physiological processes, roughly following a 24-hour cycle.

Cognition

The mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding, including thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving.

Cognitive Bias

A systematic error in thinking that affects the decisions and judgments people make. It often results from the brain’s attempt to simplify information processing and can lead to perceptual distortion, inaccurate judgment, or illogical interpretation.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

A form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing unhelpful cognitive distortions and behaviours to improve emotional regulation and develop personal coping strategies.

Cognitive Dissonance

The psychological discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting beliefs or when behaviour contradicts beliefs, often leading to a change in beliefs or attitudes to resolve the inconsistency.

Compassion

The sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others, often accompanied by a desire to alleviate it.

Compulsion

An irresistible urge to perform an action, often repetitively, as a response to anxiety or intrusive thoughts.

Conditioning

A learning process through which behaviours are modified through reinforcement or punishment, commonly studied in behaviourism

Conscience

An inner sense of right and wrong that guides a person’s thoughts and actions, often prompting feelings of guilt or moral responsibility when one acts against their ethical beliefs.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait, referring to the tendency to be organised, responsible, and diligent. Individuals high in conscientiousness are often detail-oriented, reliable, and capable of managing tasks efficiently.

Consciousness

The state of being aware of and able to think about one’s own existence, thoughts, and surroundings.

Coping Mechanism

Strategies or techniques used to manage stress, anxiety, or difficult emotions, which can be adaptive or maladaptive.

Countertransference

The emotional reactions and projections a therapist may have toward a client, influenced by the therapist’s personal experiences.

Defence Mechanism

An unconscious psychological strategy used by individuals to protect themselves from anxiety and stress, often by distorting or denying reality.

Delusion

A firmly held false belief that is resistant to reasoning or contrary evidence, often seen in psychotic disorders.

Depersonalisation

A dissociative symptom where individuals feel detached from their own thoughts, feelings, or sense of self.

Depression

A mood disorder characterised by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities.

Derealisation

A dissociative symptom where individuals feel detached from their surroundings, perceiving the world as unreal.

Disorder (mental)

A condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling, behaviour, or mood, and can impact their ability to relate to others and function each day.

Displacement

A defence mechanism where feelings or impulses are redirected from their original source to a safer target.

Dissociation

A mental process used to cope with trauma, characterised by a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory.

Dysfunction (mental)

Any disturbance in cognitive, emotional, or behavioural functioning that affects an individual’s ability to manage daily life activities, often resulting from conditions such as mental disorders, neurological impairments, or psychological stress.

Dyscalculia

A learning disorder characterised by difficulty in understanding and working with numbers, leading to challenges in mathematical skills and concepts.

Dyslexia

A specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing skills, making it difficult to decode words accurately and fluently.

Dysphoria

A state of general dissatisfaction or unease, often associated with feelings of anxiety or depression.

Echolalia

The automatic repetition of another person’s speech, often observed in certain developmental or psychiatric conditions.

Ego

In psychoanalytic theory, the part of the personality that mediates between the desires of the id and the moral constraints of the superego.

Emotions

Complex psychological states that involve three distinct components: a subjective experience, a physiological response, and a behavioural or expressive response. They are the feelings that arise in response to internal or external events, influencing thoughts and actions.

Emotional Contagion

The phenomenon where individuals ‘catch’ or mimic the emotions of others, leading to shared emotional experiences in social interactions.

Emotional Dysregulation

An inability to manage or respond to emotional experiences in a controlled or appropriate manner. This can lead to intense emotional reactions and difficulty returning to a baseline emotional state.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to recognise, understand, and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others.

Emotional Quotient (EQ)

A measure of a person’s ability to recognise, understand, and manage their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It involves skills such as emotional awareness, empathy, self-regulation, and social interaction.

Emotional Regulation

The ability to monitor, evaluate, and modify emotional reactions in order to achieve desired emotional states or outcomes.

Empathy

The capacity to understand and share the feelings of another person.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to validate or refute a hypothesis or theory.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype that do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence, often influenced by environmental factors.

Euphoria

An intense feeling of happiness or well-being, often disproportionate to the actual circumstances.

Existential Therapy

A therapeutic approach that focuses on individual freedom, choice, and the search for meaning, often addressing issues of existence, responsibility, and the human condition.

Extinction

The process through which a conditioned response is eliminated when reinforcement is no longer provided.

Extroversion

A personality trait characterised by a focus on external stimuli, sociability, and a preference for interacting with others.

Facilitation

The process of making a behaviour or response easier or more likely to occur, often through environmental changes or support.

Fixed Mindset

The belief that one’s abilities, intelligence, and talents are static traits that cannot change or improve over time.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule in which a response is reinforced only after a specified number of responses have been made.

Flooding

A therapeutic technique for treating phobias by exposing individuals to their fears in a controlled and intense manner.

Functionalism

A psychological perspective that emphasises the purpose of mental processes and behaviour in adapting to the environment.

Functional Fixedness

A cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used, hindering problem-solving and creativity.

Grounding

A practice that helps one stay connected to the present moment, often used to manage anxiety or stress.

Gestalt

A psychological approach that emphasises the holistic nature of perception, suggesting that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Growth Mindset

The belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, hard work, and learning from feedback and experiences.

Hallucination

A perception in the absence of an external stimulus, often involving seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations, allowing organisms to focus on more relevant stimuli.

Heuristic

A mental shortcut or rule of thumb that allows for quick problem-solving or decision-making but may lead to cognitive biases.

Holistic Health

An approach to life that considers multidimensional aspects of wellness, focusing on mind, body, and spirit.

Humanism

A psychological perspective emphasising human potential, self-actualisation, and the importance of personal experiences and values.

Hypervigilance

An enhanced state of sensory sensitivity and heightened alertness, often resulting from anxiety or trauma, where an individual remains intensely aware of their surroundings and potential threats.

Hypnosis

A trance-like state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, often used for therapeutic purposes or to modify behaviour.

Hypomania

A milder form of mania characterised by elevated mood, increased activity, and reduced need for sleep, often seen in bipolar disorder.

Hyposensitivity

A reduced or diminished sensitivity to sensory stimuli, meaning an individual may not respond as strongly to sensory input that others typically perceive as intense or noticeable.

Identification

A psychological process where an individual adopts the characteristics or behaviours of another person, often to reduce anxiety or enhance self-esteem.

Implicit Memory

A type of memory that influences thoughts and behaviours without conscious awareness, often demonstrated through skills and conditioned responses.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

A measure of a person’s intellectual abilities in relation to others, typically derived from standardised tests.

Introspection

The process of examining your thoughts, feelings, and motives, enhancing understanding of your internal experiences, leading to greater insight into your behaviour and emotions.

Introversion

A personality trait characterised by a focus on internal thoughts and feelings rather than external stimuli, often leading to preference for solitary activities.

Journaling

The practice of writing down thoughts and feelings to help process emotions and reflect on life.

Just Noticeable Difference (JND)

The minimum difference in stimulation that a person can detect 50% of the time, often used in the context of sensory perception.

Kinesthetics’ Learning

A learning style where individuals learn best through physical activities and hands-on experiences rather than through traditional visual or auditory methods.

Latency

A stage in psychosexual development where sexual feelings are suppressed and children focus on social interactions and skills.

Latent Learning

Learning that occurs without any obvious reinforcement and is not immediately reflected in behaviour; it may become apparent when a situation calls for it.

Learned Helplessness

A psychological condition where individuals feel unable to control or change their circumstances due to repeated failures or negative experiences.

Libido

A term often used to describe sexual desire or drive, stemming from the id’s instinctual urges.

Locus of Control

The degree to which individuals believe they have control over the outcomes of events in their lives, ranging from internal to external.

Malingering

The intentional production of false or exaggerated symptoms for personal gain, such as avoiding work or obtaining financial compensation.

Mania

A state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy levels, often associated with mood disorders.

Maslow’s Hierarchy

A motivational theory proposing that humans have a hierarchy of needs, ranging from basic physiological needs to self-actualisation.

Meditation

A practice where an individual uses techniques like focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.

Mental Set

A tendency to approach problems in a particular way based on prior experiences, which can hinder problem-solving.

Meta-cognition

Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes, often involving self-regulation and reflection on learning.

Mindful(ness)

The practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment, aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment or distraction.

Minded Boggle

The practice of taking care of your mind and boost overall wellbeing.

Narcissism

An excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one’s physical appearance, often linked to a deep sense of self-loathing, resulting in a lack of empathy for others.

Neurofeedback

A type of biofeedback that uses real-time displays of brain activity to teach self-regulation of brain function.

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, allowing adaptation to new experiences.

Neuroticism

A personality trait characterised by emotional instability, anxiety, and a tendency to experience negative emotions.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard, developed during infancy.

Observational Learning

A learning process through which individuals acquire new behaviours by watching others and imitating their actions.

Openness

A personality trait referring to an individual’s willingness to embrace new experiences, ideas, and perspectives. People with high openness tend to be creative, adaptable, and open-minded, often seeking out new challenges and learning opportunities.

Optimism

The tendency to focus on the positive aspects of situations and expect favourable outcomes.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process where behaviour is influenced by rewards or punishments, leading to changes in behaviour based on consequences.

Paranoia

An irrational and persistent feeling of being persecuted, threatened, or watched, often leading to significant distress.

Paradoxical Intention

A therapeutic technique that involves encouraging a person to engage in the behaviour they fear, thereby reducing anxiety about it.

Perception

The process of organising and interpreting sensory information to understand the environment and make sense of experiences.

Persona

A social façade or mask that an individual presents to the world, often shaped by societal expectations and roles. It represents the outward personality that one displays in various social interactions, which may differ from their true self.

Personality

The individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that define a person.

Placebo Effect

A phenomenon in which patients experience real improvements in their condition after receiving a treatment that has no therapeutic effect, simply because they believe they are receiving treatment.

Positive Reinforcement

A behavioural principle where a desirable stimulus is presented after a behaviour, increasing the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated in the future.

Preconscious

A level of consciousness that contains thoughts and feelings that are not currently in awareness but can be easily accessed.

Projection

A defence mechanism where individuals attribute their own undesirable thoughts or feelings onto others.

Psyche

Referring to the human mind, encompassing both the conscious and unconscious elements that influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach and set of theories developed by Sigmund Freud, focusing on the exploration of unconscious desires, thoughts, and motivations to understand and treat psychological disorders.

Psychodynamic

A psychological approach that emphasises the influence of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences on behaviour and mental processes.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behaviours, encompassing various aspects of human thought, emotion, and interaction.

Psychometrics

The field of study concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement, including the development of tests to measure mental abilities, attitudes, and personality traits.

Psychopathy

A personality disorder characterised by persistent antisocial behaviour, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits.

Psychopathology

The study of psychological disorders, their symptoms, causes, and treatment.

Psychotherapy

A therapeutic treatment involving conversations with a trained mental health professional to address emotional and psychological issues, aiming to improve mental well-being and coping strategies.

Psychosis

A severe mental disorder characterised by a disconnection from reality, often involving hallucinations or delusions.

Quotient

Refers to a numerical measure that indicates an individual’s capacity or ability in a particular domain. Emotional Quotient (EQ) measures a person’s ability to recognise, understand, and manage their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Intellectual Quotient (IQ) assesses a person’s cognitive abilities, such as reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding complex ideas. Both quotients provide insights into different facets of a person’s capabilities.

Rationale

A clear explanation of the reasons behind a decision or action.

Rational Thinking

The process of using logical reasoning and critical analysis to make decisions or solve problems. It involves evaluating information, considering evidence, and drawing conclusions based on facts rather than emotions or biases.

Rational-Emotive Therapy

A cognitive-behavioural therapy that focuses on identifying and changing irrational beliefs that lead to emotional distress.

Rationalisation

A defence mechanism that involves justifying or explaining behaviours or feelings to avoid uncomfortable emotions.

Reciprocal Determinism

A concept in social cognitive theory that suggests behaviour, personal factors, and environmental influences all interact and affect one another.

Recency Effect

The tendency to remember the most recently presented information better than information presented earlier.

Reinforcement

A process in operant conditioning where a consequence follows a behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated.

Regression

A defence mechanism where an individual reverts to behaviours characteristic of an earlier stage of development, often in response to stress or anxiety. This can manifest as childlike or immature behaviour as a way to cope with pressure or emotional conflict. (Go back)

Repression

A defence mechanism that involves unconsciously blocking out painful or traumatic thoughts and memories from awareness. (Push down)

Resilience

The ability to adapt and recover from adversity, stress, or trauma, often involving mental and emotional fortitude.

Role Conflict

A situation in which an individual faces competing demands from different social roles they occupy, leading to stress or confusion.

Role Strain

The stress or difficulty experienced when the demands of a particular role exceed an individual’s capacity to manage them.

Sa-SelSen-Soc Soc-StSu-Sy

Schema

A cognitive framework or concept that helps organise and interpret information, influencing how individuals perceive and respond to the world.

Self-Actualisation

The realisation of one’s potential and the pursuit of personal growth and fulfilment, often seen as the highest level of psychological development.

Self-Care

The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health and well-being.

Self-Concept

An individual’s perception of themselves, encompassing beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about their own identity and worth.

Self-Disclosure

The act of revealing personal information about oneself to others, which can foster intimacy and trust in relationships.

Self-Efficacy

The belief in one’s capability to successfully execute behaviours required to produce specific performance attainments.

Self-Esteem

The evaluative aspect of the self-concept; it refers to how much value individuals place on themselves and their self-worth.

Self-Image

The mental picture or perception that a person has of themselves, encompassing one’s abilities, appearance, and personality traits. It’s how individuals see themselves and believe they are perceived by others.

Self-Reliance

The ability to depend on oneself for one’s needs and decisions, fostering independence and confidence in personal capabilities.

Self-Worth

The intrinsic value and respect one holds for themselves, independent of external validation or achievements.

Sensation

The process of detecting and interpreting sensory stimuli, forming the basis of perception.

Sensory Adaptation

The process of detecting and interpreting sensory stimuli, forming the basis of perception.

Sensory Input

Referring to the information that our sensory organs (such as eyes, ears, skin, nose, and tongue) receive from the environment. This information is then transmitted to the brain for processing and interpretation, allowing us to perceive and respond to our surroundings.

Sensory Memory

The initial stage of memory that holds brief impressions of sensory information (sights, sounds, etc.) for a very short duration.

Situational Attribution

The process of attributing someone’s behaviour to external factors, such as the environment or circumstances they are in.

Situational Leadership

A leadership style that adapts to the needs of the team and the task at hand, varying the level of direction and support provided.

Sleep Hygiene

The practices and habits that are conducive to sleeping well on a regular basis. These include setting a consistent sleep schedule, creating a restful environment, and avoiding caffeine or screens before bed, all aimed at enhancing the quality and duration of sleep.

Specific Phobia

An intense, irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity that leads to avoidance behaviour.

Stereotype Threat

The risk of confirming negative stereotypes about one’s social group, which can affect performance and behaviour.

Stimuli

Are external or internal factors that provoke a response or reaction from an organism or system.

Stress

A physical, mental, or emotional response to external pressures or demands, often resulting in feelings of tension, anxiety, or strain.

Stressor

Any event or situation that causes stress, which can impact physical and mental health.

Stress Inoculation

A cognitive-behavioural technique that prepares individuals to cope with stress by developing skills and strategies to manage anxiety.

Stress Management

Techniques and therapies designed to control a person’s levels of stress, especially chronic stress.

Subconscious

Part of the mind that operates below the level of conscious awareness, influencing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours without being actively perceived.

Sublimation

A defence mechanism where socially unacceptable impulses are transformed into socially acceptable actions or behaviours.